The Pelorus Mail Boat – Part One

Riding the Pelorus Mail Boat may turn out to be the highlight of this whole adventure around the South Island. To think we considered flagging the whole idea because of inclement weather. But the boat would have indoor seating, and the rain might not actually arrive, so we gave it a try.

Thank goodness we did. What a wonderful time we had. And yes, we were very fortunate with the weather. That 40% chance of rain disappeared without even a single drop falling. In fact the seven hour trip turned out to be a ripper. For the most part the water was mill pond calm and the sun shone for almost the whole journey.

If you’re eligible, don’t forget to flash your Gold Card if you’re considering this cruise. That will give you a discount off the $132 cost.

Jim and Fern were our crew and are very friendly and informative. The boat was warm and comfortable with great vision from inside and plenty of room outside up top for sunny days like we had.The complimentary coffee, tea and water, along with a tin of yummy chocolate chip biscuits were greatly appreciated by everyone. On this particular cruise we were required to take our own lunch, but the cafes in Havelock provided a lot of options so we were well stocked to last the day.

An interesting sideline for me was chatting with a Canadian couple on board. When I mentioned I had grown up on the southern coast of the South Island, the lady immediately told me how they had stayed at Colac Bay for a couple of nights, and was that anywhere close by. I had a little chuckle. They then proceeded to show me some photos they had taken of my hometown.

If you’re visiting the Marlborough Sounds and you haven’t taken a ride on the Pelorus Sound Mail Boat then you are missing a real treat.

Time to Book In

Mail Boat Routes

Pelorus Mail Boat

Mill pond Calm